It's All About Power
by Splatter
Summary: Harry and his friends are back at Hogwarts for their last year of fun, battling Voldermort as always. The year has barely begun and already it takes on many unexpected turns when a american girl joins Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry.
1. The New Girl

I have redone this chapter so anyone from the early days of reading may want to take another look.  
  
Disclaimer - I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters; if I did I would not be writing this, I would be in the Bahamas drinking ridiculously fruity drinks with a little umbrella on top. However I do own Taj, so any plagiarisers keep your dirty mitts off my smart arsed, long legged, leather wearing character.  
  
Rating - R: I'm just being cautious because I don't want to get in trouble, so here are the reasons why it's rated R: -my Taj has a potty mouth (so does Ginny, Draco and anyone else I decide should swear). -the characters are in their last year; of course they get some action!  
  
************************************************************************  
  
She slowly opened her eyes, not sure if it was safe. The house had been quiet for hours, the swearing had stopped with a final shout and after that there had been nothing. No shouts, no screams, not even the sounds of foot steps interrupted the eerie silence bestowed on the house, a house which knew such joy, but now knew nothing but sorrow.  
  
The one who she called a friend was gone, her protector was dead, protecting her life until the very end. They died for her, all she could do was watch. Watch as they fought and struggled and finally took her protector's life away with a single stroke of her blade. Her blade her killed him, her best friend.  
  
Knowing this did irreparable to her, it froze her heart. Her broken haret stopped bleeding and froze, not to be awakened again. She swore on his body never to care again as caring meant hurting and hurting leads to crying.  
  
But she wasn't going to cry, she refused to. Crying was for the weak, for children, and she was anything but weak. She had been trained as a warrior, not because she had to, because she chose to. The best fighters were those who wanted to fight, wanted to kill and did she ever want to kill.  
  
Those who had killed her protector would suffer; they would die watching her face smiling in delight. The killer's knew she was alive, and if they thought they could escape her they were wrong, oh, so very wrong.  
  
Smiling she turned to the bounds that held her in a chair and set about removing them, after that she would pay a visit, a long visit to a very, very dear friend.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
Harry scanned platform 9 & 3/4 looking for Ron and the rest of the Weasley's. He had spent the holidays skiing with Hermione and her family so he was desperate to see his other best friend.  
  
Harry caught Ron's eye over the heads of a few first years, giggling and whispering between themselves, "Hello Harry, `Mione, how was..." Ron stifled a snort "skiing?"  
  
Harry laughed, "It was bloody fan." But before he could finish, his throat made a strange gurgling noise. Clutching his throat, Harry turned his eyes to Hermione in wonder."I told you if you swore again I'd have to teach you a lesson."  
  
"`Mione that was last year!" cried Ron.  
  
"I know," grinned Hermione. "I guess the school year has started already or my curse wouldn't have worked. You're lucky it did work other wise I'd have to take points from Griffindor."  
  
Hermione was Head Girl this year which was no surprise and Ron was a prefect. Hermione took her duties very seriously (as you should), while Ron on the other hand preferred a more lax approach.  
  
In the meantime, Harry continued to gag, attracting the attention of Draco Malfoy who spotted the trio and stalked over with a girl in tow. "Hey Pothead, look who's Head Boy." sneered Draco, showed off a gleaming badge embossed with the words HEAD BOY.  
  
"Congratulations, Malfoy. I bet your father's proud," snapped Ron. Draco glowered. Everyone knew that his father had not spoken to him in months, ever since his mother had taken Draco and left his father, accusing him of supporting Voldemort. Not that it was a big secret that Lucius was a death eater, but to be betrayed by his own family was surprising, not to mention amusing.  
  
Draco turned on Harry, "So aren't you going to congratulate me Potter? Your idiot friend tried but I'm sure you can grovel better. What's the matter Potter? Cat's got your tongue?"  
  
"No, dimwit he's under a spell."  
  
All eyes turned to the girl behind Draco, "It's a simple curse, most third years could do it. I could reverse it, if you wanted?" Harry nodded, still clutching his throat. The nameless girl smiled, raised her hand and touched Harry's throat.  
  
Harry gasped, her touch was like fire, and it warmed him right to his very core. She looked into his eyes and Harry could see flames flickering in the irises. "There you go," she said, stepping back, "Feel any better?"  
  
"Loads, thanks." Harry couldn't stop staring at her eyes, Hermione noticed.  
  
"I'm Hermione. This is Ron and that's Harry. I did the spell, for a good reason. And it's a spell most fifth years would not know." Hermione growled; how dare anyone question her ability!  
  
Hermione found her self examining the girl, not liking what she saw. Her hair fell around her face in long chocolate brown layers; tinged with a copper sheen and her eyes were a matching brown flecked with gold. She had long, long legs, womanly hips and a tiny waist, worst of all her boobs where large, at least a C cup, maybe bigger. Hermione's boobs resembled mosquito bites and had never been able to form cleavage.  
  
The thing that annoyed Hermione the most was the girl's apparel; tight leather pants, combat boots, two pieces of material held together with strategically placed safety pins passed for a top and a jacket. All of the clothes were in this season's new black, black. This girl was more than competition, this girl could take all the boys attention with a swing of her long hair, and Hermione was not pleased.  
  
"Like what you see?" Hermione quickly looked back at the girl's face and saw she was leering at her, Hermione was startled and began to blush. The girl just grinned wickedly and twirled around posing like a model.  
  
"I'm Taj, as in Taj Mahal. I can do lots more poses if you want to see my better side," she purred. Before Hermione could answer, Arthur Weasley, Ron's father, entered the conversation, shepherding the children away.  
  
"Come on kids, the train will leave in a minute." Harry couldn't resist turning back "See ya soon, Harry" Taj called.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
Hermione and Ron patrolled the Hogwarts Express looking for troublemakers. "Don't run!" Hermione called to a group of first years, tearing up and down the corridor.  
  
Distracted, Ron spotted Taj pushing her way down the corridor opening compartment doors as she went. Like Hermione, Ron was interested by Taj and wanted to know more about her, especially how her top stayed together. "I wonder if Taj is looking for Malfoy, not that I can understand why she would, the ferrety git he is."  
  
"Is that so Weasel?" Ron and Hermione turned to face a smirking Draco. "Little do you know Weasley, Taj is looking for me. As a matter of fact, our mother's are old friends and they left Taj in my care."  
  
Hermione let out an unladylike snort, focusing Draco's attention on her "You wish you were the lucky girl, don't you? Sorry to disappoint but I don't do mudbloods."  
  
Ron let out a bellow of anger and whipped out his wand. "You'll pay for that Malfoy!"  
  
"Just like he paid in your second year?" Everyone turned to see Taj standing behind them, hands on hips, feet apart. "Sorry Ron, but last time I checked you were the one who paid."  
  
Taj walked up to the group, placing her self between Draco and Ron. "I really am sorry to bring this up Ron, it's not that I don't agree with you, Draco is a ferrety git, but he's more powerful than you and with your past dueling records.well, do really you want to be belching up slugs tonight instead of eating the welcoming feast?"  
  
A shocked silence followed this lengthy speech. It was broken by Hermione laughing, big, body shaking, laughs. "She's.She's.She's right Ron." Hermione hiccoughed. She turned to Draco "And you thought.You thought she liked you!" Everyone stared as Hermione dissolved into giggles.  
  
Draco pulled Taj off to the side, "What the HELL do you think your doing?" he hissed. Taj fought to keep a straight face as she placed her hands on Draco's shoulders.  
  
"I'm sorry Draco, but this, well it's just not working for me any more." Everyone around the group stopped in stunned silence. Taj drew a shaky breath and continued, "I can't stand seeing you every day, peering at you over my frosty flakes and knowing. knowing we'll never be together, never have anything special."  
  
Now everyone in the corridor was staring at Draco and Taj, people where opening compartment doors to see what was going on. Taj carried on, fake tears falling down her face.  
  
"I thought, well, I thought you'd get the hint you know? I thought we could really make a go of it. When you saw me in my towel after my shower, it wasn't until I dropped the towel that I realised."  
  
Draco finally found his voice. "Realised what?" he demanded.  
  
"That you batted for the other team."  
  
Hermione's giggles gave way to belly laughs, tears rolling down her cheeks. Taj rushed on, putting her fingers on Malfoy's protesting mouth. "It's okay you don't have to explain, I understand. I've got to go, and move on. I'll see you soon, when I've recovered, okay?"  
  
With that Taj grabbed the back of Malfoy's head and kissed him, hard. Quickly she released him and walked over to Ron. "Punishment enough?" she whispered. All Ron could do was nod.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
Taj couldn't believe what she'd just done. She'd kissed Malfoy! Draco- Bloody-Malfoy! Blonde hair, lean muscled, bastard of a whore Malfoy!  
  
Taj couldn't explain it, she was just so mad at him, so she teased him and made everyone think he was gay and then BANG she kissed him. Kissed on the mouth kissed him, tongue roaming around in soft mouth kissed him! Jesus Christ!  
  
Taj tried to relax, she had to calm down considerably otherwise there would be fires and destruction and maybe she would even punch in a wall. Taj slowed her run into a walk and tried to think sobering thoughts. Her mind immediately went to Malfoy.  
  
She couldn't believe he'd call someone a mudblood, that wasn't the Malfoy Taj remembered, her Malfoy wasn't such a prick. Taj tried to spit unnoticed in a corner, she still had the Malfoy taste in her mouth. Now all Taj wanted to do was continue her quest; to find an empty compartment, dead or alive.  
  
Harry was sharing a compartment with Neville and Ginny; not many people as were friendly to him as they used to be. Harry's friend's consisted of four people two of which were patrolling the corridor at this very moment. Harry waited anxiously for Ron and Hermione to finish their rounds so they could talk about Taj.  
  
She defiantly wasn't a normal girl; Harry had sensed that as soon as she touched him. Harry's powers had been growing over the holidays so now he could sense things without him being told anything and he could even do simple spells with out a wand. He still hadn't told Ron or Hermione what he could do. No one knew.  
  
Harry hated keeping secrets from his friends, but he wasn't sure what it all meant and Harry didn't want his friends to be seeing him as a freak, not like everyone else. Harry looked out of the window and found his thoughts drifting back to Taj and the fire in her eyes.  
  
*Jesus Christ, I'll never find an empty compartment* Taj struggled down the corridor checking compartments as she went. Finally she came to the last compartment on the train. Taj opened it with baited breath; she really wanted a compartment by herself. "SHIT!"  
  
Harry was jerked out of his daydream by someone swearing loudly, an angry girl was standing at the door, her hand gripping the handle so tight it was turning white. "What do you.Taj?"  
  
Taj tried to look relaxed and gave Harry a forced smile. "Hey Harry, just looking for an empty compartment, you where my last chance."  
  
Ginny laughed, "There's no way you'll find an empty compartment today. Come and join us, we don't bite, hard."  
  
Taj looked up sharply at the youngest Weasley and let out a loud burst of laughter."Okay, I'll stay. My name's Taj."  
  
"I'm Ginny and Neville's gone to the toilet."  
  
"Fascinating." 


	2. Bat Boggey Hex

Disclaimer - I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters; if I did I would not be writing this, I would be in the Bahamas drinking ridiculously fruity drinks with a little umbrella on top. However I do own Taj, so any plagiarisers keep your dirty mitts off my smart arsed, long legged, leather wearing character.  
  
Rating - R: I'm just being cautious because I don't want to get in trouble, so here are the reasons why it's rated R: -my Taj has a potty mouth (so does Ginny, Draco and anyone else I decide should swear). -the characters are in their last year; of course they get some action! -Harry has thoughts  
  
I also must thank the movie 'Austin Powers - Man of Mystery' for giving me a classic line.  
  
************************************************************************ She tossed and turned in an unfamiliar bed. Down stairs shouting and the crash of broken plates could be heard. She hated coming here, every summer she spent time with friends of the family. It was always the same friends.  
  
This place was so dark, so different from home. Every night the sounds of yelling would travel upstairs, preventing sleep. Tonight the sound of a curse echoed upstairs, as well as the sound of beating. Not once did anyone cry out in pain, not once.  
  
Finally she could not take it any more, she slid out of bed and soft tiptoed into the adjacent bathroom the door connecting to another bedroom was open so she took this as permission to come in.  
  
Quietly she crept over tiles, her seven year old body already trained to make no sound. However quiet she was he always knew when she came. She waited cautiously at the end of his bed, waiting for him to open his eyes.  
  
It was a ritual, started between the two of them when she first came to stay. He lazily oped his storm cloud eyes and smiled at her. Not the sneer her showed the rest of the world, a true smile.  
  
She opened the bottom end of the covers and used one of his stuffed dragons as a pillow. Top and tail they slept, comforting each other without words. Two children universes apart and yet united in a cause. And that is how the house elves would find them the next morning, blissfully asleep, not a care in the world.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
Harry was having a good time with Taj and Ginny. Neville hadn't returned form the toilet yet but Harry was having trouble worrying as Taj was sitting opposite to him and was currently bent over looking for something in her bag.  
  
This was giving Harry a rather nice view down her top; luckily for Harry Taj was wearing a bra otherwise he would have had a very nice view. Unfortunately for Harry's pants the said bar was black, with lace and Harry's pants were becoming more than slightly uncomfortable.  
  
To make matters worse Taj was wearing a long necklace and it dangled right between her breasts. Harry's pants were getting tighter by the minute *It's a necklace! Come on Harry don't focus where the necklace is, but what it looks like.*  
  
Harry tried to examine the necklace and began to realise that there was a cross hanging from the chain, he also noticed that it was rose quarts, but then he got distracted again. By this time Harry was getting desperate. *Think of anything but sex, breasts and tongues. SHIT! It's not working! Anything but SEX! ANYTHING BUT SEX!*  
  
Harry learnt at muggle school that reciting times tables could help. *1 x 1 = 1. 2 x 1 = 2!* Taj's searching arms pushed her breasts closer together.  
  
*Margaret Thatcher on a cold day! Margaret Thatcher on a cold day!" Finally Taj found what she was looking for; a walkman and a handful of CD's. Harry breathed a sigh of relief as his pants gradually loosened and he prayed Taj wouldn't need something from her bag any time soon.  
  
Ginny watched Harry's discomfort with a perverse satisfaction. After all Ginny did lust after Harry for six years, never making a secret of it and all Harry did was ignore her, the stupid prick. Ginny was glad Harry had found someone to ignore him. The thought of Harry ignoring Ginny didn't bother her as much anymore.  
  
Not since nearly a year ago when Ginny want on muggle survival camp. Muggle survival camp involved leaving you wands with your parents and living out in the bush for three weeks. During this time Ginny discovered the joys of the outdoors, a good camp fire and bathing in the creek with other girls.  
  
During those three weeks Ginny decided she liked girls much more than she liked boys. Boys where too hard, too rough and terrible at communicating, but girls where a whole different kettle of fish. Girls communicated, hardly ever smelled and were really good listeners. So Ginny has decided to pursue girls this year, in fact, she has a specific girl in mind.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
The train ride continued quietly as Ginny read her book, Taj listen to her music and Harry stared out the window, examining the scenery. The tranquillity of the ride ended abruptly as Nevillele burst into the compartment, clutching his toad to his chest, panting like a dog.  
  
"What the?" Harry jumped out of his daze, and stared at Nevillele in shock, he was covered in what appeared to be squiggling worms.  
  
"Shit! It's a Bat Boggey hex!" Declared Ginny, staring in envy, "I've never been able to do it that good."  
  
"Get it off me, please." Nevillele begged, "Please, they're coming, I've got to get rid of it."  
  
"Who's coming?" Taj asked, stretching in her seat.  
  
Neville stared at Taj, "You're that girl! The one that said Malfoy was weird!"  
  
Taj snorted, "I did not say Draco was weird, I said he batted for the other team."  
  
"There's a difference?" Harry asked.  
  
Taj let out a peal of laughter, "You British are worse than I thought! I said Draco was GAY!"  
  
A shocked silence meet this comment, if you listened hard enough you could hear the crickets chirping in the breeze. The sounds of banging broke what was becoming an uncomfortable calm.  
  
"What the?" Again, Harry had no clue what was going on.  
  
A voice could be heard on the other side of the compartment door, "Come on Nevillele, open up take your punishment like a man!" Nevillele shaking in fear, held on to the door, holding it closed.  
  
"Draco again, what a bastard." Taj muttered to her self and quickly put her focus on Neville. "Why is he bothering you?" she asked, holding onto the door as well.  
  
"I was talking to someone about what you said to Malfoy, we where laughing about it when BANG." Neville clicked his fingers, "I was like this, Draco had heard me talking and sunk up from behind."  
  
The compartment door lurched suddenly nearly letting an arm in. "Harry! Ginny! A little help!" Yelled Taj.  
  
The pair quickly rushed to help, Ginny removing the hex as she did so. Neville sighed in relief; he wasn't sure how much longer he could have held onto the door, those boggey's where getting everywhere, absolutely everywhere.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
On the other side of the compartment door Crabb and Goyle tugged at the door, Draco cheering them on Pansy Parkinson on his arm. However Draco was getting sick of Crabb and Goyle wasting time, the more time Neville was out of his sight the less intimidating Draco would seem.  
  
Pansy was getting bored as well, she wanted to see some humiliation and she wanted to see it now! "Draco darling, could you please hurry up, I'm getting rather bored." Pansy purred.  
  
On the other side of the door loud laughter could be heard, Draco instantly recognised it as Taj, he hadn't lived with her all holidays without getting to know her laugh, as annoying that it was of course.  
  
"Yes Draco darling, please hurry up, holding on to this door is boring for me too." Ginny mimicked Pansy perfectly, over her years at Hogwarts Ginny had developed a great aptitude for telling lies which lead to her creating a drama club.  
  
Draco decided to ignore this comment and decided to stir thing up, after all Pansy was bored, "Taj! Stop playing with Scarhead and his merry men and I won't have to hurt you." He paused as Draco relished in the thought he could push Taj's buttons better than Taj could push his, after all Taj's achillis heel was exactly the same as his own, her mammoth pride.  
  
On the other side of the door Taj was furious. "How DARE he! That arrogant son-of-a-bitch! As if he could hurt ME!"  
  
The other members of the compartment looked at each other nervously; Taj's face had turned a nasty shade of magenta.  
  
Taj turned her face to the others, all of then dropped their gaze, not wanting to look into her flashing eyes. "On my signal let go of the door, really quickly. Then we'll see who gets hurt."  
  
Neville began to worry, confrontation was not his strong suite "How about we keep the door closed, they're bound to go away. If you're doing this for me its okay really, the hex wasn't that bad, not really."  
  
Ginny looked at Neville disbelievingly, Taj ignored him and Harry was watching Taj. Taj was completely still, her eyes were closed and her breaths were coming out in short gasps.  
  
"Taj?" There was no answer if anything her breathing became more difficult.  
  
"Taj?" Harry began to panic, he was about to let go of the door when Taj's eyes snapped open.  
  
"I told you not to let go of the door until my signal. You where about to let go of the door." Taj accused Harry.  
  
Harry opened his mouth in shock when Draco decided things were moving too slowly. "Taj, come on baby, just leave the losers behind and I'll forgive you."  
  
As if on cue Taj felt the pulling on the door become more urgent. "Ready?" she whispered. "1, 2, 3. Let Go!"  
  
Ginny, Harry and Neville had no idea what Taj was trying to do but with blind faith they leat the doors go. The movement of the door opening caused Crabb and Goyle to fly backwards into the assembled crow and the whole train shook as they landed on their fat arses.  
  
Everyone stared in shock at the fallen goons, Neville tried to put his shock into words, "Why, What, Who,"  
  
"The falling of the buffoons has something to do with inertia or gravity or some other shit I learnt last year. Who ever though science could be useful?"  
  
A muffled shriek was herd near Goyle's sprawled position. On closer inspection a fan of blonde hair could be seen underneath Goyle. Realising he was sitting on someone Goyle quickly got up and looked down at his Pansy Parkinson pillow, her hair was matted, her face red with indignation and her skirt had risen to her waist displaying a lovely pair of granny nickers.  
  
Pansy Parkinson being Pansy quickly recovered and tried to ignore the jeering. "YOU!" she screamed pointing a finger at Taj, "You are scum and do you know what I DO to scum!?"  
  
"What would that be dear?" The crowd parted to show the owner of the voice. It was the lunch lady, as quaint as ever. "What would you do to dear Taj?" she asked, her eyes glinting.  
  
"Are you talking to me?" Pansy asked incredulously, "Not that it's any of your business but I'll squash this trash like the ant she is."  
  
"You will do on such thing!" bellowed the lunch lady transforming into a horrible beast, with wings, scales and very pointy teeth. "You will come with me young lady and I'll sort you out soon enough." Pansy was so scared she wet herself, so did most of the crowd.  
  
The beast turned to Taj "It's nice to see you again dear, if you ever need anything just give me a yell, why don't you take some things off the trolley and I'll deal with the pest."  
  
"Thanks Alma, that'll be great, say hi to your sister." Taj smiled as she began to take things off the trolley passing them to Harry, Neville and Ginny. Ron and Hermione had turned up too and Taj began passing things to them as well. Finally Taj sauntered up to Draco, "Here Malfoy a little snack on me." Taj pressed some food into his hand and walking into her compartment closing the door firmly, it took Draco a second to realise what she had given him.  
  
"A Cauldron Cake! I hate Cauldron Cake's!" 


End file.
